Advocacy

Based on its experience with clients, Drive-To-Work has made positve legislative suggestions for changes to Virginia motor vehicle laws. These amendments improve opportunities for relicensing for every member of the public. As a result, Drive-To-Work has become the "defacto spokesman" for Virginia drivers. Here is a list of laws adopted as a result:

2017 – Established uniform and accessible standards for payment agreements for fines and costs suspending licenses, enabling drivers both to meet their financial responsibilities and get their licenses back.

2017 – Permitted judges the discretion not to suspend the driver’s license of a person convicted of a first time marijuana charge.

2017 – Converted a license suspension for driving on suspended because of unpaid fines from a consecutive suspension to a concurrent suspension.

2019 –Fines and Costs No Longer Suspend Driver’s Licenses. The Virginia General Assembly passed a law effective July 1, 2019 that says driver’s licenses will no longer be suspended solely because of unpaid court fines and costs. Drive-To-Work has worked for this for years.

2019 –Lower Down Payment for Pay Plans for Child Support. Allows for an individual who is delinquent in child support payments or has failed to comply with a subpoena, summons, or warrant relating to paternity or child support proceedings to be entitled to a judicial hearing if he makes a written request within 30 days, rather than 10 days.

2019 – Online Driver’s Manual Refresher Course. After July 1, 2019, individuals who have failed the driver knowledge examination three times will have the option to take the required 8-hour refresher course on the computer instead of only in the classroom setting.

Since 2007, DTW has initiated 12 new laws that helped suspended drivers.